In presently existing cabin management systems belonging to the Applicant, the so-called Cabin Intercommunication Data System (CIDS), a specific data bus, the so-called CIDS data bus, known internally to the Applicant, is used for the transmission of data, particularly for the transmission of safety-relevant data such as safety-relevant control and audio data, between a central controller and a plurality of terminals installed in the aircraft cabin.
The present CIDS data bus is based on the transmission of Ethernet frames and has a master or bus control device which is arranged in the central controller of the aircraft, and a plurality of network nodes, so-called decoder-encoder units (DEU) which can operate as the client.
Furthermore, the AFDX (Avionics Full Duplex) switched Ethernet data bus is being increasingly used in aircraft cabins for the transmission of safety-relevant data. This data bus is specified in the ARINC standard 664 and uses the IP protocol for data transmission.
The AFDX network topology consists of one or more switches to which the terminals are connected. Data is always transmitted between two terminals by at least one of these AFDX switches.
Document US 2005/0065669 A1 describes an aircraft control system for controlling the transmission of data via a CAN bus and an AFDX bus.
Document DE 10 2009 001 081 B3 describes a device and a method for transmitting data and energy over nodes of a specific network. The device has a least two arrangements, a bus with a transmitting line and a receiving line which interconnects the arrangements, and a bus control device which is coupled with the bus and has a first means configured for controlling a transmission of data defined according to the specific network, as data voltage signals over the transmitting line and over the receiving line, a second means configured for loading the data voltage signals on the transmitting line with first supply voltage signals suitable for the power supply of the arrangements of a first aircraft system, and a third means configured for loading the data voltage signals on the voltage line with second supply voltage signals suitable for the power supply of the arrangements of a second aircraft system.
WO 2009/003518 A1 describes a communications system and a method for controlling a communications system for the communication of audio data between a plurality of devices.
Document DE 10 2006 004 191 A1 describes a communications system with system subscribers and a bus, connecting said subscribers, for the exchange of data between the system subscribers, a central unit for the configuration of the communication between the subscribers being provided and the system subscribers being connected to the central unit by a control bus and a data bus; the central unit in the control bus connection being the sole transmitter and in the data connection being the sole receiver, and the bus access by the subscribers being controlled by means of the central unit so that data is transmitted from a subscriber via the data bus to the central unit and from there to the receiving system subscriber.